Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 87 A Tremendous Change in Heaven and Earth, the Beginning of the Mountains and Seas

The space trembled violently, the earth shook, and Lin Yan didn't even have time to stabilize his newly broken Foundation Establishment cultivation before he was violently ejected from space by an irresistible force. In a flash, he was back in his familiar bedroom in the Deep Water Bay villa.

He stumbled and steadied himself, immediately trying to contact Xiao Qi, but to no avail. A sense of unease rose within him, but he quickly suppressed it—a breakthrough in cultivation had caused a dramatic change in the spatial dimension, perhaps a sign that a deeper region had been unsealed. He forced himself to calm down, not disturbing Lin Gang and the others. He first went into the bathroom, carefully washing away the last traces of grime from his body after the final cleansing process, changed into clean clothes, and then waited patiently.

A day later, when Lin Yan tried to sense the space again, the barrier had disappeared. With a thought, his figure vanished from the bedroom in an instant.

Upon entering the space, even with Lin Yan's composure after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, he was stunned by the sight before him!

The area of ​​the space has expanded to an unimaginable extent. Looking out, the horizon stretches so far it almost merges with the void. The original plains, herb gardens, and spiritual springs still exist, yet they seem like insignificant corners in this new world. The sheer vastness of this space likely far exceeds the surface area of ​​the Earth!

"elder brother!"

A golden light streaked towards them, accompanied by excited whimpers. Lin Yan looked down and saw Xiao Qi circling around him happily. The little guy had indeed grown up! No longer the size of a kitten at birth, he was now about the size of a two- or three-month-old puppy, his body elongated, his limbs more powerful, the crystalline scales covering his entire body even more dazzling, and the jade-colored horn on his head had thickened, shimmering with a soft yet powerful spiritual light.

"Brother, look! Have I grown up? I'm now in the mid-stage of Tier 1!" Xiao Qi's voice rang in his mind, filled with obvious pride and affection.

Lin Yan smiled and rubbed its increasingly sturdy little head: "I see, our Little Seven has grown up and become even more powerful." He understood that Little Seven's advancement was closely related to the unsealing of the space this time.

"Brother, come with me quickly and see the new changes in the space!" Xiao Qi shouted excitedly. Then, his figure swayed and suddenly grew larger in a burst of spiritual light, transforming into the size of a strong and powerful lion. His entire body was covered with shimmering golden scales, and his four hooves trod on faint auspicious clouds. He exuded a terrifying divine beast aura. Although he was only in the mid-stage of the first rank, his aura far surpassed that of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Come on up, brother!" Xiao Qi urged.

Lin Yan leaped onto Xiao Qi's broad, comfortable back. Xiao Qi let out a clear neigh, its four hooves off the ground—not flying, but directly using some kind of spatial teleportation ability—teleportation!

Almost the instant the thought arose, the surrounding scenery blurred and changed, and the next moment, they appeared in the far distance of space, in that edge area that had once been isolated by a dense fog barrier.

Lin Yan jumped off Xiao Qi's back, and the sight before him made him gasp for breath.

Xiao Qi raised its front paw and gently waved it at the once indestructible, impenetrable fog barrier—as if drawing back the most magnificent curtain in the world. The endless fog receded and disappeared to both sides like a tide, revealing the world behind the barrier to its eyes without reservation!

It was a mountain range that stretched as far as the eye could see and was more magnificent than anyone could imagine!

Its magnificence far surpasses any mountain range that humankind can comprehend. The main ridge lies prostrate like an ancient dragon in slumber, its undulating spine piercing the clouds, its snow-capped peaks shimmering with a sacred light under the eternal illumination of space. Countless branches, like the dragon's claws, extend in all directions, crisscrossing with ravines and abysses, exuding an ancient, desolate, and dangerous aura.

Within the mountains, no ordinary plants and trees grow. Ancient ironwood trees, hundreds of feet tall with trunks like bronze and leaves shimmering with metallic luster, are everywhere; Purple Cloud Vine, entwined with a misty purple aura and bearing vermilion spiritual fruits, climbs all over the cliffs; Moonflower Grass, exuding a refreshing fragrance and with petals like jade carvings, grows in patches in the secluded valleys; and there are many second-tier spiritual herbs that Lin Yan has only seen in the alchemy inheritance of his ancestor and which have long been extinct in the outside world, which are scattered among the mountains and forests like weeds.

The air was filled not only with incredibly dense spiritual energy, but also with the auras of various demonic beasts. Lin Yan's divine sense swept across the area, allowing him to clearly perceive the powerful life forms lurking deep within the mountains: a giant azure-scaled eagle (mid-stage of tier 2) with wingspans like clouds darted through the mist; a massive crimson flame demonic bear (late-stage of tier 2) with fur burning like flames roared in its caves; a lightning-fast thunder-patterned leopard (peak of tier 2) with a single horn on its forehead slithered through the forest; and even in some deep pools and secluded ravines, he could sense the cold, bloodthirsty aura of an ice python (peak of tier 2)... These demonic beasts were generally limited to the tier 2 level, but their numbers and varieties were numerous, forming a complete demonic beast ecosystem of the cultivation world.

Little Seven, head held high, pointed with its paw at the boundless mountain range and said proudly, "Look, brother! Our old master said that this 'Myriad Evolutions Mountain Range' hides so many mineral veins! You can mine the materials you need for learning weapon crafting, talisman drawing, and array formation in the future! However…" It paused, "Right now, the spiritual veins in this space are only of second-tier top-grade quality, so the highest-grade minerals that can be produced in the mountains are only second-tier materials. When your cultivation improves further, brother, and you break through to a higher realm, this mountain range will grow and become stronger along with you!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yan suddenly understood, but a new question arose: "Little Seven, why was my spatial spiritual vein able to jump directly from the first-grade top-quality to the second-grade top-quality during my Foundation Establishment? This leap seems rather large."

Little Seven flicked its tail, looking like it thought, "You just don't understand." "This is a test left to you by the old master, and also an opportunity! Do you think achieving Immaculate Foundation Establishment is so easy? Only a perfect foundation can trigger the greatest gift from the origin of space! Otherwise, why would we open up such a large new map for you?" It paused, its tone becoming slightly "serious," "The old master also said that the highest-ranking demonic beast in this mountain range is at the peak of the second tier. From now on, this will be your training ground, brother! The three techniques you cultivate—the *Qiankun Creation Technique*, the *Great Zhou Celestial Star Body Refining Technique*, and the *Divine Demon Visualization Technique*—are all top-tier techniques that directly point to the Great Dao, with incredibly solid foundations. If even with all this, you still can't challenge those above your level and be invincible among those of the same tier… then you might as well find an egg and smash it to your death, let alone be the old master's successor!"

Lin Yan's lips twitched slightly. This tone was indeed very "Ancestor-like." But he didn't refute it. Instead, a fierce fighting spirit ignited in his eyes as he calmly accepted the challenge: "Ancestor is right, I understand."

"And another thing!" Xiao Qi remembered something, and her body flashed with spiritual light again. She teleported with Lin Yan back to the familiar Starshine Tower.

Upon entering the tower, we went directly to the second floor. The layout here was similar to the first floor, with the Foundation Establishment chapter of the "Qiankun Creation Technique" still floating in the center of the hall. The surrounding display shelves were filled with a large number of spiritual herb seeds for commonly used Foundation Establishment pills, as well as mountains of top-grade spirit stones, all brimming with spiritual energy.

Lin Yan glanced around and asked, "Little Seven, is that all? Like magical artifacts, magic treasures, and the like..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qi rolled her eyes at him and waved her paw dismissively. "What are you thinking, brother! Our old master fought his way up through countless battles! He's given you the most top-tier inheritance. The first level of the jade slips on alchemy, artifact crafting, and talisman arrays has the basics, and this second level has the advanced ones. Want good magic weapons and treasures? Forge them yourself! Or..." Xiao Qi grinned, revealing a fierce smile that didn't match her cute appearance, "Go and snatch them! If you don't like someone, beat them up! Aren't spoils the best resources? That's the old master's style!"

Lin Yan was speechless for a moment, and could only touch his nose and chuckle dryly: "...That's so ancestral."

Little Seven wasn't finished. It raised its paw and swung it towards the empty space. In an instant, countless figures appeared in the second-floor hall as if by magic, numbering as many as five thousand!

These people included men, women, and children, dressed in clothing from different eras. Each of them possessed a deep and focused aura, sharp eyes, and cultivation levels that were all at the Golden Core stage! However, they all carried a peculiar aura that was neither alive nor dead, and when they looked at Lin Yan, their gazes were filled with absolute respect and obedience.

"Look, the old master still left you some helpers," Little Seven said, wagging its tail. "The puppets unlocked on the second level and beyond aren't those wooden blocks outside. These are all real cultivators that the old master 'collected' before. Some of them voluntarily submitted and swore allegiance, but most of them... were blind and offended the old master, so they were placed under restrictions. These five thousand Golden Core puppets can cultivate on their own; their own storage rings contain enough resources left by the old master for their cultivation."

Xiao Qi's tone changed: "However! There's a limitation. Their cultivation level can only be one major realm higher than yours, brother. You're currently at the Foundation Establishment stage, while their highest level is only the peak of the Golden Core stage. Want to break through to the Nascent Soul stage? Unless your cultivation level breaks through to the Golden Core stage first, brother."

Looking at the five thousand Golden Core cultivators before him, Lin Yan was both shocked and couldn't help but smile bitterly. His ancestor's actions were truly... providing immense assistance while allowing him absolutely no room for dependence. Ultimately, he had to walk each path himself, step by step.

Resources were provided: seeds and veins; helpers were limited by level; and the strongest inheritance was already in hand.

The rest is up to you to fight for, grab, and refine! (Although there's no way to grab it.)

This is very traditional.